The Washington critic., 1887-12-20
THE CRITIC" ABROAD.
Measures for the Relief Of the Unem.
plOyed Glasses,
LONDON'S GREATEST PROBLEM.
a Visit TO the Observatory and Hos
pital at Greenwich.
Special Correspondence wA.lllxdros cmrrc.


their relief. So many cases Of the hon
est and industrious poor being allowed
20 starve have come before the people
hat II has come to the question whether
men, women, and children shall pass a
lreary winter unfcd, ,inclothed, un-
warmed, and almost unsheltored; or
lhall means be Immediately supplied to
relieve them. Many blame the trades
council because they appeal to. phil
anthrophy, but there Is no help for it.
II was therefore resolved that the
council should ''uso its utmost efforts to
assist in the. raising Of such fund, as
well as to aid in just and effectual ad-
ministration for
THE DISTRESSED POPULATION.
The Lord Mayor was asked TO act as
treasurer, but though entering fully into
The spirit Of the movement, he thought
it best to have II distinctly trades coun-
Gil and not Mansion House fund. Last
year there was very generous fund
raised and distributed under the Lord
Mayor. Though the sum raised reached
nearly E78,000, it was discovered that
whilst the deserving poor were left un-
provided for. II has been decided to
place the present fund in tho hands Of
men who have already done much for the
poor, both from their private means and
from funds placed at their disposal.
These are men TO whom the lazy and
profligate would scarcely apply, know
ing well that their case would be thor
oughly investigated The poorhouses
and casual wards, as now governed in
London, meet with universal disap-
proval, as the following incident will
show: .rsi
About thirty homcl.. = men went to
casual ward one very coz night. They
were told by the man in tisarge that ali
the beds were taken, and they must ap-
ply to another ward. On they walked,
from ward to ward, for eight hours, with
the same result, and were there advised
to apply to an overseer. They found
two Of these were away from the city,
and third got up from his bed and ac-
companied them To the nearest lodging
house. He asked for standing room for
the men, SO they could get shelter from
the cold. Even this was denied them.
1t was afterwards found there were other
wards where they could have been ac-
commodated, had the oversecr been
familiar with his duties. II is not a
matter Of surprise that the question Of
relieving the starving masses is of so
muc'. moment, ut present, in this great
city.
The rioters in one Of their meetings
hired musician to play the trombone,
promising to pay him half crown for
his services. As il was II matter Of bust
ness with him, not OF politics, he made
great resistance when arrested by the
police, and received seven scalp wounds.
He was taken to u hospital, regretting
more the damage to his instrument than
his broken skull, saying the latter the
doctors could repair but the former was
expressed with the minstrel. "a Ss.
have already been sent to him.
THE GREENWICH OBSERVATORY.
There is no more interesting suburb of
London than Greenwich, which is five
miles from the city and most beautifully
situated on the Thames. The view Of
the river from the Observatory, where
the Astronomer Royal conducts his OBJ
servations and gives Greenwich time to
all the world. is worth days journey,
though every mile be taken on foot"
The boats on the Thames have red sails,
which give foreign aspect to the land
scape, and the hospitals and colleges are
commanding structures, adding much to
the extended view. The time signals
are sent daily at 10 q. m. and p. m. by
telegraph to all parts of the king
dom. Ships chronometers are tested
under the widest variations of heat
and cold. The sailor can ascer-
tain his latitude by means of his
observation of the position of the fixed
stars, but he must depend upon his
chronometer for his longitude. This
must be set before leaving England to
show solar time in the meridian of
Greenwich. By referring to his
chronometer, which shows the hour at
Greenwich, and then noting the mo-
ment at which the sun attains noon, or
meridian, in any part Of the world where
calculating fifteen degrees to one hour,
or fifteen geographical miles to one
minute, to find his longitude. 1t is in
teresting to see numbers Of r4en climb
ing the hill leading to the observatory
with their chronometers to have them
set. A large dial is placed in the wall
near the entrance. 1'wenty-four hours
are marked upon the face. and 1t seems
strange enough to see the hands point to
Is o. clock as the great ball on the top of
the Observatory falls.
GREENWICH HOSPITAL
was built by William III. at the request
Of his wife for the reception of sailors
wounded in the battle of "La Hague"
1t stands on the site of palace wherein
Henry VIII, Queen Mary and Queen
elizabeth were born. In the yard of
.he hospital schools large ship has
been erected on the stone pavement.
The sailor boys are trained in this man
bf-war, and those over IA years of age
sleep in hammocks in the lower cabin.
Eight hundred Of these boys attend
The chapel, which was designed by Stu
lrt. A great painting, BY Benjamin
West, representing the "Shipwreck OF
Vt. Paul, is above the chancel, and the
Shole chapel is richly decorated. In
!he great hall are many valuable por.
traits Of noted admirals, and some fine
paintings of naval battles, including
burg, and j. NJ. w, Turner's Battle of
Trafalgar" The ceiling of this hall is
magniiicently decorated by a painting
by Sir James Thornhill. The
upper hall is painted both on the walls
and ceiling, and contains many SOU
venirs Of Nelson: the coat and
waistcoat which he wore. when he
was killed in the Battle of Trafalgar" f"
1.-THE course of the fatal bullet" says Sin
II. Nicholas, sis shown by a hole ovei
.he left shoulder, and part of the opau
,ette is torn away, the coat and waist
boat are stained in several places with
the hero's blood" Here ure also Nelson's
watch, his pig-tail cut oil after his death,
and swords that look as though they had
done long service. In the museum